News Brief
Testing a Novel Tuberculosis Treatment Approach
January 24, 2025

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major global epidemic and poses a particular threat to people infected with HIV. Since 2018, the World Health Organization has recommended that all rifampin-resistant TB treatment regimens include linezolid. With long-term use, however, linezolid causes serious side effects (e.g., bone marrow suppression and peripheral neuropathy) affecting 50% to 80% of patients and that often require discontinuation of therapy, which can lead to treatment failure and drug resistance.
James C.M. Brust, M.D., has received a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to conduct a clinical trial in South Africa involving 280 participants with rifampin-resistant TB. The trial aims to determine whether therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid may enable prompt dose reductions that could avert drug toxicity and premature discontinuation of therapy. The study will answer fundamental questions about linezolid pharmacology that will influence the drug’s use in South Africa and worldwide. The study includes collaborations with the University of Cape Town, St. George’s, University of London, and Emory University.
Dr. Brust is professor of medicine at Einstein and an attending physician at Montefiore. (R01AI184416)